Uche Secondus, national chairman
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says James Ibori, former governor of
Delta state, “must be celebrated”.

Speaking during a grand reception
organised in honour of Ibori at Ovwor-Olomu in Ughelli south local government
area of Delta, Secondus praised the “sterling leadership qualities” of the
former governor.

The reception, which took place
on Saturday, was attended by Emmanuel Uduaghan, a former governor of Delta, and
Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent.

Ibori returned to the country on
February 4 after spending close to five years in jail in the UK for money
laundering.

A statement by the press office
of the Delta state government quoted Secondus as saying Ibori is a “unifying
figure and a blessing to the Niger Delta region”.

The PDP chairman was quoted to
have said: “Ibori must be celebrated because he is a man of the people not just
in Delta state but across the nation.

“Today, he is a factor in this
country. On behalf of the masses of our country, we salute you, we salute your
courage because you are a man who believes in the struggle of the party.”

He said in Ibori, Delta has “a
son that has built a political structure that is envied across the nation.

“Delta state remains the only
state in the nation that has a stability in political succession. It remains
the only state where all the governors that have ruled the state are still
members of the PDP.”

Okowa linked the “foundation of
development” in the state to Ibori, saying he established a political structure
“which served as a bridge builder and development agent across the country”.

Ibori was first arrested in Dubai
by Interpol operatives on May 13, 2010, from where he was subsequently
extradited to the UK.

A UK court convicted him of fraud
in 2012 and handed him a 13-year jail sentence but he regained freedom in
December, after serving four and half years and agreeing to be deported from
the country.